UC-NRLF 


B   M    5fi^   133 


1  HE  Calalofjue  issued  by  the  Studios  in 
October,  1906,  tuas  limited  to  five  hundred 
copies  and  the  edition  is  practicalty  exhausted. 

It  loas  compiled  so  as  to  present  to  those 
interested  m  the  subject  an  artistic  and  com- 
prehensive description  of  a  collection  of  antique 
rugs  of  unusual  interest,  and  the  Studios  were 
much  gratified  to  find  that  the  book  was  re- 
ceived in  that  spirit.  Not  only  collectors  and 
librarians,  but  students  as  luetl  have  expressed 
their  appreciation  of  the  work. 

Since  that  catalogue  was  published  the 
Studios  have  acquired  a  large  number  of 
interesting  rugs,  Chinese  and  Persian,  and 
are  encouraged  to  issue  this  second  volume, 
which  contains  new  matter  entirely,  and 
treats  the  subject  in  some  respects  from  a 
different  standpoint. 


1  HIS  is  No.  y^^  y^of  an  edition  of  5oo  copies. 
Printed  by  The  University  Press,  Cambridge, 
U.S.A.,   for  the  Tiffany  Studios. 


Presented  to 


W    KJi.M'* 


T, 


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with    thoij    balls     litcc    or    fo 
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each    other 
iVfellow, 


s^frre  mcysr  JWitiirai^eT j  xiin  upon 
it  lii  lifjhtest  shades  of  aprieot.  with  louehcs  of 
light  M,.e.  ,  [/Vo.  m67  —  r).8x3] 


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/i/r  Ti' 

MAIN  UBRARl 
JOHN  FRYER  /  ^  ^  7 


CHINESE  LIBRARY 

Copyright,  1907  ^T 


Bt  The  Tiffany  Studios 


-::?' 


THE  UMVERSITY  PRESS,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


^aC. 


PREFACE 


W, 


HILE  Oriental  rugs  in  vast  numbers 
are  coming  to  America,  only  occasionally 
are  those  to  be  found  that  have  sufficient 
distinction  to  v^arrant  their  being  placed 
among  textiles  notable  and  historic.  Such 
as  have  merit  are  more  readily  recognized 
and  classified  than  ever  before,  so  care- 
fully trained  has  become  the  judgment  of 
those  who  have  been  studying  the  products 
of  the  loom  for  the  last  half  century. 

Beautiful  rugs  are  being  woven  to-day 
in  which  the  best  materials  and  technical 
methods  are  employed.  The  designs  of 
the  past  which  have  been  borrowed  have, 
however,  in  many  cases  been  altered  by  the 
addition  of  unrelated  details  and  many 
minor  changes,  and  do  not  always  combine 
the  styles  of  the  same  period,  thus  causing 
anachronisms  that  are  confusing  and  un- 
safe. It  is  because  of  this  that  however 
beautiful  may  be  the  modern  product,  it 
can  serve  neither  the  students  of  folk-lore 


751.619 


[viii] 
nor  those  connoisseurs  who  desire  to  se- 
cure the  manifestation  of  thought  In  the  art 
objects  they  collect. 

When  a  rug  possesses  both  beauty  and 
historic  interest,  it  is  worthy  of  great  con- 
sideration and  respect,  for  not  only  does  it 
satisfy  the  eye,  but  it  serves  as  a  repository 
of  the  thought  life  of  the  people  who 
made  it. 

To  bring  together  such  fruits  of  the  loom 
as  shall  serve  both  purposes  —  gratification 
to  the  eye  and  food  for  thought  —  has  been 
the  aim  of  the  Tiffany  Studios  in  selecting 
from  a  vast  number  of  Oriental  rugs  the 
following  specimens. 

M.  G.  R. 


RUGS  OF  THE  CHINESE   EMPIRE 


■■■«WBWBa!!igS9affWft"5«!l^PWM^,'3L!^  Notable 

RUGS   OF    THE    CHINESE  S'"' 
EMPIRE 


C 


iHINESE  decorative  art  and  Chinese 
industry  have  ever  progressed  hand  in 
hand.  The  simplest  article  used  at  the 
household  altar,  formed  of  soft  clay  and 
fired  in  a  domestic  kiln,  may  bear  the  same 
design  as  that  which  adorns  the  most  costly 
censer  made  for  the  temple. 

To  the  art  of  the  vs^eavers  of  China, 
attention  has  been  turned  of  late  years,  and 
many  rugs  from  the  temples,  palaces,  and 
noble  houses  of  the  Empire  have  come  into 
the  possession  of  Europeans  and  Americans. 
Such  cannot  be  too  carefully  analyzed  and 
classified,  as  they  are  veritable  antiques 
and  hold  In  themselves  the  answers  to 
many  of  the  numberless  questions  which 
confront  ethnologists  and  students  of  the 
religions  of  China. 

There  are  designs  to  be  found  in  the 
rugs  in  this  collection  which  illustrate  the 


Gourd 


Bamboo  Musical  Instrument 


Castanets 


Basket  of  Flowers 


Flute 


Lotus  Pod 


Sword 


EMBLEMS  OF 
THE    EIGHT 
IMMORTALS 


Fan 


The  Joo-e  Wand  or 
"  Sceptre  " 


[4] 
The  Tiffany  life  of  the  native  Chinese,  of  their  Mon- 

riia  g^^li^^  ^^^  Manchurian  conquerors,  and 
of  alien,  tributary,  and  foreign  peoples 
who  have  forced  their  ideas  and  technical 
methods  upon  the  industrial  arts  of  the 
Empire. 

Many  of  the  textiles  of  China,  other  than 
floor  coverings,  made  for  people  of  rank, 
have  been  for  centuries  ornamented  with 
designs  ordered  by  the  Emperor.  These 
designs  have  been  copied  by  rug  weavers 
and  are  both  interesting  and  absolute. 

On  Mandarin  robes  and  hearth  rugs 
alike  may  be  found  the  "  Sacred  Mountain," 
wands  and  sceptres  of  authority,  and  various 
precious  objects  and  symbols.  Some  of 
these  belong  to  one  belief  and  some  to  an- 
other, so  intermingled  have  become  the 
three  great  religions  of  China,  —  Confucian- 
ism, Taoism,  and  Buddhism.  Ever  and 
always,  however,  according  to  the  heart 
interest  of  the  worker,  one  or  the  other  has 
the  prominent  place,  the  others  occupying 
a  secondary  or  supplementary  relation. 
This  human  interest  constitutes  the  chief 


Scrolls 


Books 


EMBLEMS 

OF 

THE    LITERATI 


Chess 


Lute 


Hollow  Lozenge 


Sonorous  Stone 


[5] 
charm  in  the  woven  fabrics  of  any  people ;  Notable 
the  weaver  is  to  be  relied  upon  to  introduce  ^J^^J^  ^ 
some  suggestion  of  self  thought,  be  it  fear, 
pride,  reverence,  or  worship. 

When  designs  are  at  hand  which  have 
come  down  through  the  ages,  that  illustrate 
phases  of  thought,  it  is  now  and  ever  has 
been  in  China  quite  possible  to  make  a 
rug  symbolic  of  one's  creed. 

Broadly  speaking,  in  order  to  seek 
things  purely  Chinese,  one  must  cull  those 
which  are  of  Confucian  origin  and  which 
have  to  do  with  ancestor  worship,  the  wor- 
ship of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  adoration 
of  scholarship.  While  designs  symbolic  of 
these  religious  expressions  are  often  mingled 
with  those  of  the  other  beliefs,  they  may 
readily  be  distinguished  from  them. 

Most  of  the  designs  and  symbols  that 
belong  to  the  literati  are  conceded  to  be  of 
Confucian  origin  as  well  as  those  that  illus- 
trate the  religious  worship  required  of  the 
Mandarins,  who  represent  the  Emperor  on 
all  festival  occasions  and  who  have  charge 
of  the  ritual  of  the  State. 


Rhinoceros  Horns 


Coin 


Lozenge 


Books 


Pearl 


Leaf 


THE  EIGHT 
ORDINARY 
SYMBOLS 


The  Tiffany 

Studios 

Collection 


Wheel 


Knot  of  Destiny 


Canopy 


Umbrella 


Lotus 


EIGHT 
BUDDHIST 
EMBLEMS 


[6] 
Among  the  symbols  most  often  used 
are  scrolls,  books,  chessboards,  inkstands, 
inkwells,  and  brushes,  lutes,  and  other 
musical  instruments,  with  the  eight  ordi- 
nary symbols: 

The  Hollow  Lozenge  The  Lozenge  (solid) 

The  Sonorous  Stone  Books 

Rhinoceros  Horns  Spherical  Object  or  Pearl 

The  Coin  The  Leaf 

These  emblems,  tied  with  fillets,  adorn 
the  field  of  Chinese  rugs,  together  with  va- 
rious other  designs  that  may  be  studied  in 
the  rugs  themselves. 

Taoism,  the  religion  of  fear,  has  sup- 
plied weavers  with  a  vast  number  of  designs 
which  illustrate  belief  in  stars,  lucky  signs, 
and  geomantic  influences.  Those  most  fre- 
quently found  in  rugs  are  the  emblems  of 
the  Eight  Immortals,  and  the  various  charms 
used  to  keep  off*  demons  and  evil  spirits  of 
all  sorts. 

Emblems  of  the  Eight  Immortals : 


The  Castanets 

The  Basket  of  Flowers 

The  Flute 

The  Lotus  (pod) 

The  Sword 


The  Fan 

The  Bamboo  Musical 

Instrument 
The  Gourd 


Twin  Fishes 


Shell 


Urn 


[7] 
Buddhism  has  marked  the  industrial  Notable 
arts  of  China  very  materially,  and  we  are  ^^*J^  ^ 
apt  to  find  some  suggestion  of  its  influence 
even  when  the  origin  of  the  main  features 
of  a  design  may  be  traced  to  one  or  the 
other  of  the  beliefs  of  the  Empire.      The 
eight  Buddhist  symbols  are : 

The  Wheel  The  Lotus 

The  Knot  The  Urn  or  Vase 

The  Canopy  The  Conch  Shell 

The  Umbrella  The  Twin  Fishes 


[8] 

The  Tiffany 

•^/^^^f^^  CHINESE  MAT 


Collection 


J\.  BUDDHIST  square  of  beautiful  soft  coloring. 
Geometric  scroll  grotesques  form  the  central  and 
corner  ornaments,  and  these  with  a  Swastika  fret 
in  the  border  are  of  an  unusual  shade  of  orange 
color  on  a  dull  blue  ground.  In  each  of  the  eight 
reserves  in  the  border  is  a  Buddhist  emblem. 

[No.  4385  — 2.2x2.3] 


ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 

Surrounding  a  field  of  superb  yellow,  a  border 
which  has  faded  from  apricot  to  a  soft  yellow  com- 
pletes the  color  scheme  and  produces  an  all-over  har- 
monious effect  rarely  equalled.  The  narrow  bands 
and  border  stripes  as  well  as  the  designs  that  cover 
the  field  are  in  soft  shades  of  light  and  dark  blue 
and  apricot.  The  main  border  is  filled  with  small 
discs,  each  one  bearing  some  significant  symbolic 
or  purely  decorative  design,  the  latter  based  on  sec- 
tional flower  and  orchid  forms.  Books,  scrolls, 
musical  instruments,  bats,  censers,  and  jars  of 
flowers  are  among  the  many  designs  in  the  field 


[9] 
of  this  ruff  that  mark  it  as  one  made  for  the  Hte-  Notable 
rati,  especially  the  four  objects  tied  with  fillets  which  ^^^^'^  ^ 
encircle  the  central  medallion;  \iz.,  the  chessboard, 
the  musical  instrument,  books,  and  scrolls. 

[No.  458^  —  10.2x5.9] 

According  to  Confucius 

Jade  is  valued  because  from  all  time  the  sages  have 
compared  virtue  to  jade.  Its  polish  and  brilliant 
hues  are  virtue  and  humanity.  Its  compact  hard- 
ness is  accuracy ;  its  angles  seem  sharp  but  are  not 
incisive,  and  that  is  justice;  in  pearl-like  pendants 
it  represents  politeness ;  its  pure  sound  when  struck 
figures  music ;  one  shade  does  not  obscure  another, 
and  that  is  loyalty ;  its  internal  cracks  are  seen  from 
the  outside,  and  that  is  sincerity  ;  its  lustre  is  perma- 
nency, and  its  substance  represents  the  earth  ;  cut 
without  other  embellishment  it  indicates  virtue ;  ' '  and 
the  high  value  attached  to  it  by  the  whole  world,  with- 
out exception,  is  figurative  of  truth.'' 


ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 

JL  HE  ornament  is  of  a  strictly  floral  nature,  save  for 
a  few  symbols  that  appear  in  soft  shades  of  blue, 
yellow,  and  pinkish  red  on  the  buff-colored    field 


[lo] 
The  Tiffany  of  this  rug.     The  fillets  used  around  the  "knot  of 

htudios  destiny  "  and  the  various  forms  of  rods  and  sceptres 
LoUection     c      ^\      •.  i  i     i  i 

ot  authority  are  so  crudely  drawn  as  to  almost  com- 
pletely disguise  the  symbols  themselves. 

*    [No,  ^372  — 9x5.9] 


txfit*-vimi  « Kuw-Ma— >Wio— w— wwwaw»'wi 


TAOIST  RUG 

JL  AOIST  rug  of  northern  China  showing  in  the 
field,  on  a  dark  brown  ground,  the  emblems  of  the 
Eight  Immortals,  which  are  wrought  in  shades  that 
have  faded  to  grayish  white,  soft  red,  and  yellow. 
Surrounding  the  field  is  a  polychrome  border  in  a 
tribal  design  common  to  weavers  of  these  folk-lore 
rugs,  in  which  the  colors  have  also  faded. 

[No.  ^391  — 4x2] 


I  TTJL^'V^ti^  *Wff  WMB— I  '■ri»M  H<m 


TAOIST  RUG 

JtiUG  of  the  same  class  as  439 1,  of  Taoist  origin, 
but  showing  a  decorative  and  borrowed  design  which 
covers  the  seal-brown  field  with  an  attractive  lattice 
of  soft  peach  color.  [No.  4631  —  3Jx2.3] 


Notable 

CHINESE  FOLK-LORE  RUG  Oriental 


i^Otfjwn  wv 


Rugs 


i\.  MOTTLED  peach-colored  centre  with  dragon- 
scroll  geometric  corners  in  gray  outlined  with  white 
showing  archaic  form  of  dragons'  heads  and  the 
Swastika.  The  central  medallion  is  composed  of 
four  "knots  of  destiny  "  and  highly  conventional- 
ized flowers  in  gray,  brown,  pink,  and  green. 

Over  the  field  are  placed  most  significant  animals 
and  symbols,  each  one  referring  to  some  well-known 
myth  or  oft-told  tale.  The  spotted  Ki-lin,  with  a 
spray  of  fungus  in  his  mouth  ;  the  Manchurian  crane, 
showing  the  red  tuft  on  top  of  its  head ;  vases ,  deco- 
rated with  archaic  signs  in  which  are  branches  of 
trees  that  are  supposed  to  grow  in  the  gardens  of  the 
' '  Immortals  ' '  ;  the  Joo-e  wand  and  other  sceptres 
of  authority,  a  pair  of  castanets,  a  sword,  coral  in 
n  small  vase,  and  branches  of  sacred  flowers  and 
trees.  The  border  consists  of  a  shaded  "ribbon" 
Swastika  design  in  red  and  gray  and  an  outer  yellow 
floral  band  with  stripes  of  orange  and  yellow. 

[No.  4356  — 13.6x15] 


»»,«-J*  [^»  .CN»,^|t>.W 


[12] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  DRAGON  SQUARE  MAT 


Collection 


jO  IYE  dragons  seeking  and  guarding  their  pearls 
amidst  conventional  clouds,  waves,  and  sacred  moun- 
tains form  the  design  in  shades  of  blue  and  cream 
color  on  a  yellow  ground.  The  five-toed  dragons 
bespeak  imperial  or  princely  use  of  fabrics  bearing 

them  as  decoration. 

[No.  ^^632  — 2.5x2.5] 


»gnr<iBmiiniriiiwaniw— — «w— — uwwmw  inniwiwimu 


•t^ 


'''2Jg^,  ^-.j"..^  , : 


[i3] 

,,  Notable 

The  ''Lung     or  Dragon  Oriental 


The  "  Lung  "  or  dragon  of  China  differs  from  any  other 
dragon  form  known  in  art.  The  archaic  Chinese 
dragon  had  the  form  of  a  huge  lizard ;  as  such  we 
find  him  in  undeveloped  ornament  in  old  fret  borders. 

The  Imperial  dragon  has  five  claws  on  each  of  his  four 
feet,  and  only  the  Emperor  and  princes  of  the  first 
and  second  rank  are  allowed  to  use  this  dragon  as 
emblem. 

Dragons  are  represented  as  either  holding  or  looking 
toward  a  round  object  called  a  "  Chin'  or  pearl. 
Various  explanations  of  this  object  have  been  given 
by  different  authorities.  The  most  definite  and  con- 
clusive statements  lead  to  the  belief  that  originally 
the  dragon  was  supposed  to  seek  and  guard  wisdom 
and  to  protect  such  possession  from  the  attack  of  evil 
forces  and  demons. 

The  form  of  the  "  Chin"  differs  and  in  some  shapes  is 
thought  to  refer  to  the  sun  or  to  the  earth.  Five 
colors  encircle  it  and  rings  of  different  colors  adorn 
it.  This  jewel  ' '  Chin  "  also  figures  in  Japanese  art, 
and  is  thus  described  by  Griffis :  "  The  Tama  or 
jewel,  also  called  the  sacred  pearl,  is  an  emblem  of 
the  soul,  and  in  Japanese  the  word  for  soul  and  jewel 
is  the  same.  It  is  properly  a  crystal  ball  or  pearl- 
shaped  gem  grooved  or  ringed  at  the  top.  On 
Japanese  pictures,  porcelains,  and  bronzes  we  may 
see  it  held  in  the  dragon  s  claw,  or  the  dragons  are 
fighting  for  it,  or  it  is  wreathed  in  fire,  or  it  is  set 
in  places  of  honor." 

The  imperial  dragon  of  Japan  has  but  three  claws. 


Rugs 


[i4] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  CHINESE  ZODIACAL  RVG 

Collection 

1  HE  zodiacal  animals  that  guard  the  hours  of  the 
Chinese  day  and  night  appear  in  the  main  border 
of  this  rug,  though  they  are  not  arranged  in  con- 
secutive order,  which  is  as  follows  : 

One       to  three       .     .      .  the  ox 

Three   to  five    ....  the  tiger 

Five      to  seven      .      .      .  the  hare 

Seven    to  nine  ....  the  dragon 

Nine      to  eleven     .      ,     .  the  serpent 

Eleven  to  one    ....  the  horse 

One       to  three       .      .     .  the  goat 

Three    to  five    ....  the  monkey 

Five      to  seven       .     .     .  the  cock 

Seven  '  to  nine  ....  the  dog  / 

Nine      to  eleven     .     .     .  the  b|pr  01 

Eleven  to  one    ....  the  rat  / 

In  the  central  medallion  chimerical  lions  and 
cubs  are  at  play  with  their  balls.  The  corners  of 
the  cream-white  field  are  marked  off  with  delicately 
traced  scrolls  in  blue.  Upon  the  field  itself  many 
significant  flowers,  plants,  and  emblems  are  dexter- 
ously Avrought  in  shades  of  blue,  with  occasional 
touches  of  red  and  yellow.  The  inner  border  carries 
a  succession  of  archaic  geometric  dragons  which 
alternate  with  blue  floral  forms. 

[No.  U13  — 13.1x6.^] 

The  ball  (Chu)  with  which  the  Chinese  lions  play  is  un- 
like the  pearl  (Chin)  which  the  dragon  seeks  and 
guards.  Both  are  supposed  to  be  charms,  and 
mystical  signijlcance  is  attached  to  the  placing  and  use 
of  the  object  sought  and  cherished. 


[i5] 

„  Notable 

tlingm  Oriental 


Chi,  probably  the  Polyporus  Liicidus,  which  grows  at 
the  roots  of  trees.  When  dried  it  is  very  durable, 
luJience  it  has  been  considered  by  the  Chinese  as  an 
emblem  of  longevity  or  immortality .  Large  speci- 
mens of  the  fungus  itself,  or  imitations  of  it  in  gilt 
tvood,  are  preserved  in  the  temples,  and  representa- 
tions of  it  frequently  occur  in  pictures  of  Lao  Tsze 
and  the  Immortals.  It  may  also  be  seen  in  the 
mouth  of  deer. 

The  grass-like  leaves  that  accompany  it  represent  the 
actual  grass,  which  is  apt  to  grow  through  the  fungus 
luhile  it  is  yet  soft. 

It  is  sometimes  called  Ling  wan  chon,  or  "  the  grass  of 
the  imnwrtal  soul,"  and  is  supposed  to  possess  the 
same  power  as  the  elixir  of  life.  —  Franks. 


Rugs 


CHINESE  THIBETAN  BUG 


u 


PON  a  ground  of  soft  red  a  Chinese  Thibetan 
design  is  wrought  in  dark  and  hght  bhie  and  green. 
The  main  border  is  of  tan  color  with  a  design  in 
red,  green,  and  blue,  which  is  based  on  the  four 
bats  surrounding  the  caligraphic  sign  of  happiness, 
making  in  all  the  five  happinesses  dear  to  the  heart 
of  the  Chinese.  [No.  ^392—3.6  x  3.6] 


>«ia»aMa«i(iai(iiiww»a»«Mn»i»Mt««»»Mi«i^MWrWMiii»>iiiiw«»iiii«ii» 


[i6] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios     CHINESE  BLUE  AND    WHITE  RUG 

Collection  .,;^ 

1  HE  superb  quality  and  tone  of  this  antique  speci- 
men place  it  among  things  notable  and  rare.  The 
two  shades  of  blue  used  in  the  design  are  shown 
to  advantage  on  the  deep  cream  ground.  Pome- 
granates, lilies,  citron,  and  plum  blossoms  are 
scattered  over  the  field  in  customary  fashion.  The 
main  border  carries  a  design  in  light  blue  and  cream 
on  a  dark  blue  ground.        [No.  ^359  —  W.8x6.4] 


m^^'^^^^i^mstw^' 


[I?] 

^CAL  RUG 

Rugs 


Notable 

CHINESE  ZODIACAL  RUG  Oriental 


L  HE  imperial  yellow  field  of  this  large  rug  is 
covered  with  a  dark  blue  lattice  grille,  the  solid 
lines  of  which  are  softened  hy  occasional  dots  of 
yellow.  Light  blue  and  yellow  are  mingled  in  the 
fleck  design  which  almost  entirely  covers  the  field. 
The  yellow  ground  is  revealed  in  the  corner  spaces 
and  central  medallion,  which  are  rigidly  marked 
off  by  light  and  dark  blue  lines  from  the  rest  of 
the  field.  An  inner  border  carries  the  running 
Swastika  fret  in  dark  blue  on  an  apricot  ground. 
In  the  main  border  the  zodiacal  animals  are 
represented.  [No.  ^2i9 —  :/5.5  x  8.5] 


CHINESE  FOLK-LORE  RUG 


T 


HE  Manchurian  crane  and  sacred  "  Ki-lin  "  are 
the  features  in  the  design  of  this  rug  which  compel  the 
attention  of  those  to  whom  the  folk-lore  of  China 
is  of  never-failing  interest.  The  fabric  itself  is 
coarse,  and  the  wool  in  the  design  in  the  central 
medallion,  corners,  and  borders  is  colored  with  fugi- 
tive dyes.  Nevertheless  such  rugs  are  invaluable  as 
the  embodiments  of  traditions  and  beliefs  when  the 
designs  are  unmingled  with  foreign  motifs. 

[No.  ^t390  — 5.6x2.9] 


[i8] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios   There    are  four  fabulous   animals   spoken    of  by    the 

Collection         Chinese.      The  unicorn  or  Ki-lin  is  one  of  them, 

and  is  placed  at  the  head  of  all  hairy  animals,  as 

the  Fung-hwang  or  phoenix  is  pre-eminent  among 

the  feathered  races,  the  dragon  (Lung)  and  tortoise 

among  the  scaly  and  shelly  tribes,  and  man  among 

naked  animals.     The  naked,  feathered,  hairy,  shelly, 

and  scaly  tribes  constitute  the   quinary  system  of 

ancient  Chinese  naturalists. — Williams,   "Middle 

Kingdom,"  vol.  1,  p.  265. 

The  name  Ki-lin  is  a  generic  or  dual  luord  composed  of 

those  of  the  Ki  and  the  Lin,  the  respective  male  and 

female  of  the.  creature.      This  peculiar  species  of 

word  formation    is  adopted    in  other    instances  in 

reference  to  birds  and  animals;    thus  we  have  the 

male  Fung  and   the  female  Hwang  united  in  the 

Fung-hwang  or  so-called    Chinese  phoenix,  and 

the  Yuen  and  Yang  in  the  Yuen  Yang  or  mandarin 

duck.  —  Gould,  ' '  Mythical  Monsters." 


CHINESE  FOLK-LOBE  RUG 

v^  ORE  AN  and  Japanese  influences  are  apparent  in 
the  arrangement  and  disposition  of  the  designs 
in  this  rug.  Though  very  heavy  the  fabric  is  of 
superb  quahty,  and  the  wool  used  in  the  soHd  olive- 


[•9] 
green  field  has  a  beautiful  soft  finish  and  attractive  Notable 
sheen.  ^'''"^''^ 


The  decoration  is  confined  to  five  medallions, 
each  carrying  a  highly  conventionalized  crane.  The 
central  medallion  is  of  a  composite  nature,  showing 
wave  lines  and  tide  jewels,  as  well  as  the  bird  form 
in  the  middle.  Tribal  and  ribbon  designs  with 
bands  of  solid  color  complete  the  border. 

[No.  ^357—17x17] 

Ho,  the  crane.  Next  to  the  Feng  (phcenix)  this  bird  is 
the  most  celebrated  in  Chinese  legends,  in  which  it 
is  endowed  with  many  mythical  attributes .  — Mayers. 

The  stork  (Ho)  is  one  of  the  commonest  emblems  of 
longevity.  It  is  said  to  reach  a  fabulous  age,  and 
when  six  hundred  years  old  to  drink  but  no  longer 
eat ;  after  two  thousand  years  to  turn  black.  — 
Franks. 

The  Fong-hoang,  a  singular  and  immortal  bird,  lives  in 
the  highest  regions  of  the  air,  and  only  approaches 
men  to  announce  to  them  happy  events  and  pros- 
perous reigns. 

It  is  easily  recognized  by  its  carunculated  head,  its  neck 
surrounded  by  silky  feathers ,  and  its  tail  partaking  of 
the  Argus  pheasant  and  the  peacock.  — Jacquemart. 

The  Fung-hwang  of  Chinese  legends  is  a  sort  of  pheas- 
ant adorned  with  every  color  and  combining  in  its 
form  and  motions  whatever  is  elegant  and  graceful. 


Rugs 


The  Tiffany  As  is  the  unicorn  (or  Ki-Un)  amonq  quadrupeds,  so  is 
k^iaaios  ij^^  plicenix  (or  Fung-hwang)    the   most    honorable 

among    the  feathered   tribe. — Williams,  ''Middle 
Kingdom,'  vol.  i ,  p.  226. 


INDO-CHINESE  RUG 


U  PON  a  dark  blue  ground  the  cloud  design  appears 
in  wonderfully  soft  shades  of  light  blue  and  yellow 
brown.  A  relief  effect  caused  by  the  corrosive 
nature  of  the  brown  dye  adds  charm  and  quality, 
and  produces,  as  it  were,  an  atmosphere  which 
serves  to  lift  the  five  large  white  storks  that  are 
distributed  over  the  field  above  the  carpet  in  such 
a  way  as  to  make  their  flight  apparent. 

The  deep  seal,  blackish  brown  outer  border  is 
typical  in  rugs  of  this  nature,  and  is  effectively 
shown  in  contrast  to  the  inner  border  of  light  tan 
from  which  it  is  separated  by  a  wide  stripe  carry- 
ing an  East  Indian  design  in  soft  yellow  on  a  seal- 
brown  ground.  [No.  4663  — 12.4  x  il  A] 


KIEN-LUNG  RUG 


W] 


EAYERS  in  the  far  western  borders  of  the 
Chinese  Empire  produced  rugs  similar  in  design  to 


Rugs 


[21] 

this  during  the  reign  of  Kien-Lung.  The  powder-  Notable 
ing  of  the  field  with  conventionalized  cloud  forms  ^^^^^'■^1' 
or  other  small  devices,  and  the  use  of  natural 
colored  wools  give  a  distinctive  style  to  these  so- 
called  Indo-Chinese  products.  Since  the  eighteenth 
century  the  designs  have  been  copied  in  coarser 
weaves  than  formerly,  and  patterns  based  on  Mon- 
golian myths  have  been  added  to  them  by  northern 
weavers  near  and  beyond  the  Great  Wall. 

[No.  U67  — 5.8x3] 


KIEN-LUNG  RUG 

1  HE  deep  fawn-colored  field  is  powdered  with  the 
conventionalized  cloud  pattern  in  light  and  dark 
blue,  which  characterizes  this  family  of  Kien-Lung 
rugs.  This  cloud  design  often  appears  as  overlaid 
ornament  in  the  borders  of  Samarcand  rugs,  in 
which  use  it  is  apt  to  lose  its  nature  and  to  become 
a  pattern  Avithout  meaning.  The  geometric  design 
in  the  corners  and  the  key  pattern  in  the  wide 
border  are  laid  in  dark  blue,  and  the  confining 
outer  border  has  a  single  light  blue  line  upon  it. 

[No.  4363  —  7.2x6.9] 


The  Tiffany 

Studios  ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 

Collection       m ,, 


OOFT,  attractive  colopngand  well-balanced  orna- 
mentation render  this  rug  rarely  beautiful.  The  field 
of  rich  dark  blue  is  covered  with  a  Swastika  fret  in 
light  blue.  The  central  medallion  and  the  six  floral 
forms  that  appear  on  the  field  are  wrought  in  shades 
of  apricot,  cream  color,  and  yellow.  Between  nar- 
row border-stripes  of  dark  and  light  blue  the  main 
border  is  laid  in  the  same  colors  that  are  used  in  the 
central  medallion.  [No.  4786  —  4.3  x2.2] 


t^>  wwmrirmi— Mwww— !■■  ■  j>  uwm»mmii»immamtmmmmtMMmmmmmmmff>nmiuuum 


[23] 

"^  Notable 

CHINESE  TEMPLE  RUG  Oriental 


N, 


O  verbal  description  could  in  any  way  do  justice 
to  the  dignity  and  importance  of  this  regal  carpet, 
made,  as  may  be  proven  by  documentary  evidence, 
for  an  imperial  temple  in  China.  The  great  size 
and  beauty  of  the  rug  give  silent  testimony  to  all 
the  claims  made  for  it. 

In  color  it  is  of  the  peculiar  shade  known  as 
Mandarin  orange,  and  the  entire  field,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  large  square  in  the  centre  of  apricot, 
is  laid  in  this  color.  The  design  both  in  the  central 
square  and  over  the  entire  field  is  Perso-Ghinese, 
and  belongs  to  the  early  period  in  the  scroll  and 
foliate  ornamentation  which  developed  under  the 
control  and  guidance  of  imperial  artists  in  the  early 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

[No.  ^907  —  32.9x23.2] 


Rugs 


[^4] 


U'l  *— IWl  TUi  '^Pl  BlICT  ^'IM 


7/ie  Tiffany 

siacHos  LONGEVITY  MATS 

polleclion 

A-N  unusual  pair  of  mats  showing  forms  of  ' '  Shou  " 
—  a  sign  meaning  longevity  and  expressing  wishes 
for  long  life  —  and  the  Buddhist  emblem  called  the 
"knot  of  destiny."  Symbolic  decoration  is  here 
used  to  the  exclusion  of  all  floral  ornamentation. 

[Nos.  4636,  m37  — 2.8x2.7] 


[25] 

Notable 
ANTIQUE    CHINESE   RUG  Oriental 


J30TH  in  quality  of  materials  and  in  design  this 
rug  easily  leads  its  fellows  and  challenges  the  atten- 
tion of  those  who  realize  the  diiferences  in  the 
quality  of  fabrics. 

Historical  significance  oftentimes  lends  value  to 
rugs  that  are  more  or  less  grotesque  in  design,  in 
which  the  materials  are  coarse  and  the  colors  crude 
and  lacking  in  beauty.  In  addition  to  the  superb 
quality  of  this  fabric,  however,  great  beauty,  both  of 
design  and  color,  render  it  supremely  attractive. 

The  field  is  of  peach  color,  lighter  than  so-called 
apricot,  which  ordinarily  appears  in  rugs  of  this 
class. 

In  the  central  medallion  are  rocks,  flowers,  and 
plants  from  the  garden  of  the  Immortals,  and  sur- 
rounding this  illustrative  ornamentation  are  floral 
scrolls,  and  bands  holding  at  the  sides  and  top  and 
bottom  of  the  medallion  objects  of  sacred  significance. 

This  same  decoration  appears  in  the  four  corners 
of  the  field,  wrought  in  shades  of  blue  and  cream 
color. 

Great  strength  of  design  and  beauty  of  color 
are  shown  in  the  borders,  which  carry  both  floral 
and  conventional  ornament. 

[No.  ^9ii--- 18.8x16 A] 


Rugs 


NMtwrW-Ti^Min^^BWC-fs^^rt^jrr^i^y***^  (. r*  -**  - 


[26] 

The  Tiffany  -«—-.««« 

Studios  CHINESE  RUG 


Collection 


OYMBOLS  and  emblems  of  all  the  faiths  of  the 
Empire  have  been  crowded  into  the  design  of  this 
rug,  the  weaver  having  borrowed  even  the  overlaid 
ornament  and  cartouche  forms  from  Mohammedan 
sources.  These,  though  similar  to  the  "reserves" 
on  porcelain,  are  distributed  in  the  outer  border 
after  the  fashion  adopted  by  the  Mohammedan 
weavers  throughout  central  and  western  Asia.  In 
each  cartouche  appears  a  device  of  special  signifi- 
cance and  import. 

The  inner  border  carries  a  diagonal  Swastika  fret 
of  cream  color  on  a  dark  blue  ground,  and  signs 
of  "  Shou"  and  sectional  flower  forms  are  crowded 
into  the  discs  that  are  laid  upon  it. 

[No.  ^672  —  6.1x11] 


[27] 

Notable 

MANDARIN  RUG  OF  METAL  AND  SILK  Oriental 

Rugs 

JL  HE  metal  and  silk  rugs  of  the  Ming  dynasty  are 
represented  in  style  by  this  fabric,  which  in  color 
is  wonderfully  soft  in  shades  of  tan  and  light  and 
dark  green  and  blue. 

The  tarnished  metal  background  has  assumed 
a  warm  gray  fawn  color,  against  which  the  design 
in  relief  is  made  by  a  silk  pile, 

[No.  4736—8.3x4.10] 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmtmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmimmmmmmmmmmmmmm'm' 

CHINESE  BLUE  AND    WHITE  RUG 

J\.  DARK  blue  dotted  line  separates  the  main 
border  from  the  field,  both  of  which  are  of  deep 
rich  cream  color.  The  medallion  in  the  centre  of 
the  field  is  of  unusual  nature  in  rugs  of  this  class. 
The  design  is  of  lions  playing  Avith  their  balls,  while 
cloud  forms  bound  the  disc.  The  outer  border  is 
also  of  interest,  as  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  design 
are  precious  and  significant  objects,  —  the  helmet- 
shaped  cup,  the  carp,  the  "knot  of  destiny,"  the 
sonorous  stone,  the  wheel,  and  other  forms  im- 
possible to  decipher  as  the  fabric  is  slightly  worn. 

In  the  corners  of  the  field,  the  tree  peony 
design  appears  in  its  most  graceful  and  highly  con- 
ventionalized form.  Fungus,  orchid  growths,  and 
butterflies  in  shades  of  blue  cover  the  cream-colored 
field.  [No.  4532  —  7.10x5.7] 


[28] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  CHINESE  RUG 


Collection 


iVlAGNOLIA  blossoms  and  leaves  and  stems  in 
shades  of  blue,  apricot,  and  brown  are  attractively 
and  symbolically  arranged  as  though  dependent  for 
support  upon  the  light  blue  trellis  that  spreads  over 
the  cream-colored  field  of  this  rug.  A  single  me- 
dallion in  the  centre  of  the  field  shows  red  geometric 
and  blue  floral  forms.  The  hollow  T  design  in 
shades  of  blue  adorns  the  cream-colored  outer  border, 
from  which  the  field  is  separated  by  an  inner  border 
carrying  a  simple  scroll  design  in  blue. 

[No.  ^671  —  12.10x6.11] 


.^'''^ , 


'5^\ 


:/1?»t 


<^^'^    '^*.>    •<^^    ^%>    .^\ 


*   ir       ^r  A^   ^ 


^^-^ 


/^ 


x^-s 


^^  B. 


T  4 


f    ^^ 


.<S»' 


•n.    ^^-^ 


/'V'>     ^^'iJr-    ■<   V    -^    ./'    •<>    x^ 


ert 


>^'    V^i' 


^:gr  t^^c  t^t  t^;  ^^t.^ 

/    V-  •     v-y     ^riv     t:y^y     i^v  >f 

\   y-';  "V '•'•^"L  v  'V^'/V-vi  'v   >'■  'v 
;^..^v  ^<Jy  ^^  f^^  i*-S^^>.] 


Notable 


MANDARIN  SQUARE  ^^''^^^^ 

Hugs 

/V  MANDARIN  square  in  superb  imperial  yellow, 
ornamented  with  designs  similar  to  those  found  on 
Mandarins'  robes — diagonal  lines,  tide  jewels,  and 
sacred  mountain,  crudely  drawn.  In  the  central 
medallion  are  the  five  bats  (or  five  happinesses) 
surrounding  the  sign  of  longevity. 

[No.  ^35  — 2.10x2.7] 

The  character  for  happiness  is  considered  to  be  very 
felicitous,  and  is  much  used  as  a  symbol  of  good. 
Ofttimes  it  is  ivritten  with  black  ink  upon  red  paper 
and  pasted  upon  the  doors  of  houses.  Sometimes 
the  pictures  of  four  bats  are  made  at  the  four  corners 
of  the  character  for  happiness.  The  whole  is  then 
called  the  ''Jive  happinesses,''  the  character  for 
'' bat"  and  "  happiness"  having  the  same  sound. 
The  Jive  happinesses  are  explained  as  referring  to 
wealth,  office,  tranquillity,  virtue,  and  peaceful  death. 

DOOLITTLE. 


A^ 


« 


m 


[3o] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  BUDDHIST  ''KNOT  OF  DESTINY''  RUG 

Collection 

Jr  lELD  and  main  border  of  cream  color  with  an 
outer  band  of  black  seal-brown.  Four  large  ' '  knots 
of  destiny,"  butterflies,  and  geometric  medallion  and 
corners  complete  the  field  design,  and  a  dark  brown 
running  Swastika  fret  adorns  the  border. 

[No.  ^375  —  5.6x3.4] 


[3i] 

uj ■■■  immmmmmttmmumtmmmmmmmma^mmmmmmmmmmmmmmtmmmmmmmmimt        No  table 

RUGS  OF  THE  COLD   COUNTRIES     ^J''^^''^ 


Rugs 


L  HE  rugs  of  the  cold  countries,  though  coarse  and 
crude,  are  of  a  strong  and  vigorous  nature,  both  in 
design  and  workmanship. 

Many  of  the  designs  of  eastern  Persia  were 
adopted  by  Chinese  weavers  during  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  in  Chinese  Turkestan  fabrics  are  to  be 
found  suggestions  of  patterns  based  on  the  Herat 
arrangement  of  floral  motifs  and  on  many  Kurdistan 
conceits,  including  even  the  well-known  Mina  Khani 
pattern.  These  have  been  interpreted  by  people 
whose  barbaric  fashion  of  handling  ornament  has 
made  a  style  in  itself,  which  has  been  adopted  by 
weavers  all  along  the  western  and  northern  limits 
of  the  Chinese  Empire  from  Thibet  to  the  "  Ordos" 
country,  where  heavy  carpets  which  are  sent  as 
tribute  to  Pekin  are  still  being  made. 

On  the  red  field  of  these  rugs  one  of  the  semi- 
floral  designs,  to  which  allusion  has  been  made,  is 
laid  on  an  all-over  pattern  which  is  suggestive  of 
the  Kien-Lung  styles  of  Chinese  Turkestan. 

A  Swastika  design  in  black  on  squares  of  vary- 
ing colors  —  red,  white,  yellow,  and  blue  —  forms 
an  inner  border,  while  the  outer  border  carries 
a  Samarcand  pattern  in  dull  shades  outlined  with 
brown.  A  broad  band  of  dark  brown  completes 
the  border.  [Nos.  4551,  4552  —  46.1  x  11.8] 


[32] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  FOUR   CHINESE  MATS 

Collection 

jTA.  set  of  four  mats  with  red  centres  and  blue 
outer  borders  with  dotted  inner  stripes  between 
two  light  blue  lines.  Censers,  flower  sprays,  and 
dishes  of  fruit  are  vividly  shown  upon  the  ground 
of  Kien-lung  red.  [Nos.  4542,  4545,  4544] 


[33] 

CHINESE  RUG  ?"*^«'«' 


Rugs 


1  HE  reason  for  the  distinctive  nature  of  the  de- 
sign which  adorns  the  field  of  this  rug  is  not  at  first 
apparent,  but  on  close  examination  each  one  of  the 
medallions  is  found  to  contain  a  special  design  un- 
like that  in  any  other  of  the  ten.  One  of  unusual 
interest  is  composed  entirely  of  bats. 

Floral  emblems  and  butterflies  are  scattered  over 
the  field  of  deep  apricot  color  in  shades  of  blue, 
yellow,  and  cream.  [No.  ^66^  — 11.2  x  7] 

BUDDHIST  RUG 

W  ITH  field  of  deep  apricot  and  main  border  of 
imperial  yellow,  this  rug  is  of  compelling  interest 
and  high  artistic  value.  In  the  centre  of  the  field 
is  an  unusual  disc  formed  of  floral  and  geometric 
designs,  outside  of  which  the  field  itself  is  filled 
with  all  sorts  of  well-known  emblems  and  devices  : 
flowers  in  jars  and  vases,  censers  decorated  with 
Swastikas,  receptacles  for  altar  implements,  the 
Buddhist  emblems,  the  canopy  and  umbrella,  and 
many  single  flower  sprays.  The  outer  border  carries 
floral  scrolls  in  blue  and  cream  color  with  an  occa- 
sional brownish  red  blossom. 

[No.  ^370  — 11x6.2] 


[34] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  JAPANESE  RAW  SILK  RUGS 

Collection 

JL  HE  colors  in  this  raw  silk  product  are  unusual 
and  attractive.  The  ground  is  of  a  soft  shade  of 
fawn,  and  the  design  in  the  centre  of  the  field  is 
in  red  outlined  with  black.  A  stencil  design  has 
Leen  employed  by  the  weaver  for  border  and  corner 
ornamentation,  and  this  wrought  in  black  shows  in 
strong  contrast  to  the  light  tan  ground  upon  which 
it  is  laid. 

The  design  in  the  central  medallion  consists  of 
two  archaic  three-clawed  dragons  deporting  them- 
selves in  conventional  fashion, 

[No.  4770  — 9.7x9.7] 


[35] 

Notable 

CHINESE    RUG  Oriental 


Rugs 


1  HE  geometric  nature  of  the  disc  ornamentation 
and  the  crude  rendering  of  the  plants,  flower  sprays, 
and  butterflies  mark  the  design  in  this  old  rug  with 
human  interest  and  make  it  unlike  others  in  the 
same  general  class.  The  field  is  of  a  very  soft 
apricot  color,  and  the  main  border  of  a  subdued 
shade  of  yellow.  [No.  ^666  —  6.1  cc  4] 


FIVE-MEDALLION  RUG 


0 


VER  the  light  tan-colored  field  of  this  rug  small 
discs  are  scattered  at  varying  intervals,  which  carry 
either  floral  or  symbolic  designs,  each  one  interest- 
ing and  significant.  Five  medallions  break  this 
powdered  surface,  in  the  central  one  of  which  are 
♦four  "knots  of  destiny"  and  four  Swastikas.  The 
trellis  and  flower  design,  the  Gymation  fret  in  light 
tans  and  blues,  an  inner  dotted  stripe,  and  solid 
blue  outside  band  complete  the  border. 

[No.  m40  — 12.9x6.5] 


CHINESE  RUG 


A, 


-N  old  brocade  design  adorns  the  centre  of  this 
rug  and  is  skilfully  wrought  in  soft  shades  of  blue 
on  a  fawn-colored  ground  which  has  faded  from 
apricot.  The  pattern  is  most  unusual  and  renders 
the  fabric  of  more  than  ordinary  interest. 

[No.  4583  — 9.2x5.4] 


[36] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 

Collection 

JL  HE  pattern  in  shades  of  blue  with  occasional 
touches  of  tan  has  softened  with  age  and  blends 
most  harmoniously  with  the  cream-colored  field  of 
this  rug. 

The  sprays  of  wild  peaches,  on  either  side  of  the 
central  ornament,  and  the  animal  in  the  upper  disc 
are  used  symbolically.         [No.  4789  —  3.9xdJl] 


.».  0tatM^^*imi>»tii^imr*uri-.gt*irirvBoif7i>m^^xiftMitiiii.-^ty'%-^Ma»tAm*^iai"*a*nu 


[37] 

*■■""""""" "■■'■ '"'  Notable 

KIEN-LUNG  RUG  9S''''^^^ 


mm)mtmeii»emMtfm»mift:** 


Rugs 


J.  HE  deep  red  ground  of  this  rare  Kien-Lung  rug 
is  covered  with  a  lattice- work  of  ' '  hollow  diamonds  " 
outlined  in  blue,  with  yellow  oblong  forms  at  the 
intersection  of  the  lines  that  form  the  diamond 
design. 

The  border  is  one  copied  from  ancient  weavings 
in  which  the  Swastika  is  made  by  the  placing  of 
four  Chinese  T  forms.         [No.  ^36^  —  iO.l  x5.8\ 


p^****;^«ccj^-jas^wr»ju-' 


CHINESE  RUG 


L  HE  crude  foliate  ornamentation  in  the  corners 
of  the  field  differs  from  that  in  which  floral  forms 
are  introduced,  and  it  generally  confines  a  simpler 
style  of  ornamentation  in  the  field  itself  than  when 
more  elaborate  corner  designs  are  used. 

In  the  main  border  one  of  the  hundred  forms 
of  "  Shou"  appears  in  two  shades  of  blue. 

[No.  4368— 6.6x4.6] 


mmwwrmmimm 


[38] 
^'^IlfZ  CHINESE  BUG 

Collection 

JL  HE  field  of  imperial  yellow  is  covered  with  a 
"grains  of  rice"  network  in  shades  of  brown  and 
apricot  broken  by  five  medallions,  the  central  one 
of  which  is  surrounded  by  a  band  of  cloud  forms 
in  several  colors, — brown,  pink,  dark  blue,  and 
apricot,  with  cream-colored  outlines.  In  the  centre 
of  each  of  the  other  medallions  the  floral  design 
assumes  the  form  of  a  cross,  the  dark  brown  color 
of  which  gives  pronounced  style  to  what  is  generally 
known  as  the  "  stamen  pattern." 

[No.  ^369— 12.7x6.9] 

CHINESE  MATS 


I^MALL  mats  with  dark  blue  ground  on  which 
are  white  palmate  forms.  The  design  in  the  central 
medallion  is  wrought  in  strong  colors,  and  red 
corners  with  designs  in  green  are  marked  off  with 
blue  serrations.  In  the  outer  border  are  blue 
Swastikas  on  a  red  ground. 

[Nos.  ^379,  ^380  —  2x2] 

CHINESE  RUG 

V  LORAL  sprays  and  butterflies,  a  single  central 
medallion,  and  foliate  corners,  worked  in  two  shades 


[39] 
of  blue  and  cream  color,  form  the  usual  desierns  Notable 
that  adorn  the  apricot   field  in  rugs  of  this  type.   ^''^^'"^' 
The  border  of  yellow  carries  a  floral  design  in  shades       ^ 
of  blue,  with  occasional  touches  of  cream  color. 

[No.  ^220— 6.2x^.2] 

SAMARCAND  RUG 

jfV  FIELD  of  grayish  white  is  covered  with  a  trellis- 
like arrangement  of  stems,  carrying  large,  round 
fruit  forms  in  soft  shades  of  Indian  red.  A 
Samarcand  design  appears  in  the  main  border 
stripe,  which  is  laid  in  blue  in  a  red  ground. 

[No.  ^6^1  —  5.10x3.3] 

CHINESE  SILK  MAT 

ioMALL  silk  rug  of  heavy  coarse  weave  in  which 
the  colors  have  faded  to  an  all-over  soft  tan  without 
any  visible  pattern .  [No .  ^388  — 1.8  x  1.8] 

CHINESE  MAT 

r  lYE  medallions,  four  flower  sprays,  and  two 
butterflies  in  shades  of  blue.  The  medallions,  fol- 
lowing an  early  model  native  to  northwestern  China, 
completely  cover  the  cream-colored  field.  On  a 
ground  of  the  same  color  the  running  Swastika 
design  is  laid  in  blue.         [No.  4638 — 3.8x1.11] 


[4o] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  A  PAIR  OF  CHINESE  RUGS 

Collection 

L  HE  most  significant  symbolic  designs  are  crowded 
over  the  fields  and  borders  of  this  interesting  pair 
of  rugs.  Bats  in  shades  of  blue,  "knots  of  des- 
tiny," Swastikas,  and  various  forms  of  "Shou," 
some  wrought  in  red  and  others  in  blue,  are  scat- 
tered over  the  cream-colored  ground.  Red  is  used 
to  enliven  the  general  blue  and  white  scheme. 

[Nos.  ^792.  4793  —  3.3x2] 


iiiiii— ifwniiM 


wwwww^ 


^  «^-  <#<#<###>  m 


W^'WWWWWW 


CHINESE  RUG  ^"''^^^^ 


Rugs 


J\  COARSE  fabric  with  field  of  scarlet  showing 
through  a  crudely  drawn  central  design.  In  the 
main  border,  forms  of  "Shou"  rest  on  serrated 
oblong  reserves  of  different  colors,  — red,  blue,  and 
yellow.  The  rug  is  of  barbaric  nature,  and  in  this 
fact  lies  its  unique  interest  and  value. 

[No.  ^371  —  7.1x6] 


CHINESE  RUG 


L  HE  background  of  apricot  color  is  partially  con- 
cealed and  softened  by  a  Swastika  fret  in  soft  yellow 
tones.  The  medallion  in  the  centre  of  the  field  is 
bounded  by  cloud  forms  at  top,  bottom,  and  sides. 
The  flower  sprays  thrown  upon  the  field  are  in 
shades  of  blue,  and  show  highly  conventionalized 
peonies  which  differ  sufficiently  from  the  ordinary 
field  ornamentation  to  give  distinctive  interest.  The 
Swastika  appears  in  each  of  the  corners  as  part  of 
the  geometric  design.  An  inner  border  of  blue 
is  dotted  with  yellow,  while  the  customary  floral 
scrolls  appear  on  a  soft  yellow  ground  in  the  outer 
border.  [No.  4362  —  8.^x5.6] 


The  Tiffany 

Studios  ANTIQUE  SAMARCAND  RUG 

Collection       - 


A 


RED-CENTRED  Samarcand  in  which  stiff  floral 
forms  are  laid  in  tans,  dark  blue,  and  green.  The 
strong  Persian  feeling  in  the  outer  and  inner  borders 
is  interrupted  in  a  single  place  bj  a  significant 
device,  the  bat  or  Chinese  emblem  of  happiness, 
showing  the  allegiance  of  the  weaver  to  Mongolian 
tradition.  The  wide  dark  blue  main  border  is 
marked  off  into  diamond  forms  in  which  with  one 
single  exception  the  design  shows  an  attempt  at 
realistic  rendering  of  a  flower  in  profile. 

The  "  bat"  design  fills  the  single  space  in  which 
the  profile  flower  has  been  outlined. 

[yVo.  4742  — 7  a;  4.2] 


^j^ftag^-  ^4f>.fsP^m''^Bf^^^m^f¥^m''S^T^ 


^■*^msf  "      ""s^:^-;' 


[^3] 

■■■■■■■■"■■■■"■■^■'"'■■"■^■■■■■"■■■■""■■■■■"  Notable 
CHINESE    SILK    RUG  Oriental 


c 


Rugs 


HINESE  silk  rug  with  shaded  Swastika  fret  in 
blue  and  yellow  covering  a  red  background.  Upon 
this  a  Samarcand  design  in  soft  green,  canary  color, 
and  red  follows  the  main  characteristics  of  the  Kien- 
lung  styles  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

The  wider  of  the  two  borders  carries  one  of  the 
oft-used  trellis  designs.  [No.  4537  —  5  x8] 


CHINESE  BUTTERFLY  RUG 

J-jARGE  and  small  butterflies  encircle  a  geometric 
medallion  outside  of  which  four  flower  sprays  are 
formally  arranged,  while  butterflies  fill  the  ends  of 
the  field.  The  designs  both  in  field  and  border  are 
of  two  shades  of  blue  on  a  cream-white  ground, 
a  band  of  solid  blue  serving  as  outside  and  confining 
border.  [No.  4534  —  5.4x2.6] 


KIEN-LUNG  RUG 

L  HE  field  of  this  rug,  which  was  brought  from 
the  Imperial  Palace,  is  laid  in  solid  red  of  a  shade 
closely  resembling   sang-de-boeuf  porcelain.     The 


The  Tiffany  gradations    and    shadings    of  this  soft  red,   which 

bladios  jg  unbroken    save    by   three    soft   medallions,  give 

temperament  to  the  fabric,  which  is  of  a  type  less 

common   than   many  others   in   vogue   during   the 

Kien-lung  period.  [JSo.  4374  —  13.2  x  7.5] 


CHINESE  RUG 

l  HE  foliate  scrolls  are  so  light  and  delicate  that 
they  make  this  rug  a  variant  from  others  in  the  same 
class,  in  which  the  pattern  often  shows  clumsy 
handling.  The  design  is  laid  in  rare  shades  of 
apricot  and  light  and  dark  blue. 

[No.  4665—8.2x4.5] 


SMALL   CHINESE  RUG 

A  "GRAINS  OF  RICE"  design  in  yellow  and 
brown  covers  the  field  with  the  exception  of  the 
corner  spaces,  which  are  left  free  from  decoration 
and  show  to  advantage  the  superb  color  of  the 
apricot  ground.  Materials  and  workmanship  are 
unusually  good  and  render  the  fabric  choice  and 
very  beautiful.  [No.  4668  —  5.10x2.9] 


[45] 

Notable 

CHINESE  ^^FIVE  MEDALLION''  RUG    Or^'^^^^ 

Rugs 


r  LOWERS  and  butterflies  fill  the  spaces  between 
the  five  discs  which  occupy  the  centre  and  four 
corners  of  the  field,  which  is  of  soft  apricot  color 
and  made  smooth  and  attractive  by  age  and  ex- 
posure. The  foliate  and  floral  ornamentation  are 
in  the  usual  colors  of  rugs  of  this  class, — two 
shades  of  blue,  yellow  and  cream  color,  with  occa- 
sional touches  of  dull  red.  [No.  4533  —  8x5] 

CHINESE  BLUE  AND   WHITE  RUG 

V^OARSE  rug  of  Ninghsai  style  showing  simple 
crude  designs  in  two  shades  of  blue  on  a  white 
ground.  An  effort  has  evidently  been  made  to 
produce  a  vine  effect  in  the  border. 

[No.  4361  —  6.2x3.10] 

A   GROUP   OF  CHINESE  MATS 


V^HOIGE  and  most  unusual  blue  and  white  mats 
showing  a  "grains  of  rice"  network  in  dark  and 
light  porcelain-blue  on  a  white  ground. 

[Nos.  4545,  4546,  4547,  4548] 


_[46] 

The  Tiffany     •'■i— ■■ii^i""^"^""^— ■■■■ii«-«»  " 

^/«^f«^  CHINESE  RUG 


Collection 


3^  0  LI  ATE  corners,  six  flower  sprays,  and  a  central 
medallion  in  shades  of  blue,  green,  and  cream  on 
a  field  of  orange  color,  which  is  repeated  as  ground 
in  the  main  border.  The  terminal  buds  in  the 
flower  sprays  are  drawn  in  European  style.  The 
materials  used  and  methods  of  weaving  are  of  the  best. 

[No.  4538— ^,9x2.3] 


CHINESE  MAT 

/\N  oblong  fabric  with  rounded  ends  ornamented 
with  a  stereotyped  design  which  is  almost  invariably 
used  in  pieces  of  this  shape.  It  combines  in  a 
meaningless  pattern  several  motifs  that  have  been 
taken  from  Mandarins'  robes  and  textiles  decorated 
according  to  imperial  command.  The  water  pattern 
at  the  ends  is  surmounted  by  conventionalized  clouds, 
and  the  black  lines  which  cover  the  red  ground  of 
the  centre  of  the  rug  may  be  traced  to  their  respec- 
tive origins  by  those  who  know  the  authorized 
rendering  of  the  symbols  that  they  are  intended 
to  represent.  [No.  4377  —  5.6x2.10] 


[^7] 

■■■■■■"■■■■""■■■■'■■■■■■■■■■'■■■■""^^     Notable 
CHINESE    MAT  Oriental 


i\  ROUND  mat  in  which  the  cream-colored  field 
is  seen  through  a  "grains  of  rice"  design  in  blue 
and  very  light  green.  Twelve  five-petal  blossoms 
are  drawn  in  blue  outline  in  the  outer  border  of 
cream  color,  which  surrounds  the  mat  in  a  band 
of  about  five  inches  in  width.  An  unusual  and 
interesting  piece.  [No. '^360  —  2.4x2] 

A  SET  OF  CHINESE  MATS 


Rugs 


-L  OUR  very  beautiful  modern  pieces  with  apricot 
centres.  Floral  scrolls  in  very  light  green  with  a 
central  medallion  and  ornamented  corners  fill  the 
field.  [Nos.  4224.  4225.  4226,  4227] 


YARKAND  RUG 


IVlONGOLIAN  and  Turkoman  conceits  are  mingled 
in  the  design  of  this  rug.  So  deftly  have  the 
dragon  discs  and  other  crude  features  been  handled 
that  the  effect  of  the  whole  design  is  semi-conven- 
tional and  shows  decided  Persian  influence  in  the 
use  of  the  flat  flower  forms . 

[No.  4550—11.8x5.9] 


[48] 
The  Tiffany  '—-—*-- 

siudios  CHINESE  TURKESTAN  RUG 

Collection 


1  HE  general  effect  of  this  Kien-lung  Turkestan 
fabric  is  similar  to  others  of  the  same  style,  though 
differing  from  them  in  that  the  flatly  drawn  flower 
and  plant  designs  are  of  rather  less  conventional 
nature  than  usual.  Narrow  stripes  on  either  side 
of  the  main  border  carry  an  isolated  scroll  design 
which  has  been  copied  by  the  weavers  of  western 
Asia  and  often  appears  in  rugs  of  Asia  Minor. 

[No.  ^540  —  11.3x6] 

MAGISTRATES'  RUG  OF  THE  XVI 
CENTURY 


1  HERE  are  in  color  and  weaving  several  very 
important  and  distinguishing  features  about  this 
antique  specimen  which  lead  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  is  a  product  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  method  of  whipping  with  a  single  strand 
the  warp  and  woof  threads,  the  color  of  the  bats 
in  the  lower  border,  etc.,  make  it  possible  to  imme- 
diately recognize  the  fabric. 

The  color  of  the  field  is  soft  deep  blue,  upon 
which  are  powdered  archaic  forms  which  have  been 
copied  from  bronzes.  These  are  worked  in  im- 
perial yellow,  peach  color,  light  blue,  and  cream. 
The  border  is  of  imperial  yellow  upon  which  is 
a  Swastika  fret  in  blue,  carrying  at  intervals  bats 
of  peach  color.  [No.  4389  —  4.8x3] 


[49] 

■■■'■■■'■■■'■■■■■■■■■"■■'"■"■■■■■■'*■■■■■■■■*'     Notable 

SAMARCAND  RUG  ^"'^'^'"^ 


A.  SAMARCAND  design  of  the  Kien-lung  period 
in  which  thirty  medaUions  are  distributed  side  by 
side  over  the  field,  completely  filling  it.  These 
medallions  are  placed  in  the  linear  fashion  of  the 
Turkoman  weavers.  The  ground  is  of  strong  rich 
red,  and  the  designs  are  laid  in  the  blue  and  yellow. 

[No.  ^535  — 9.4x3.5] 


Rugs 


ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 


L  HE  design  known  as  the  "Western  lotus"  is 
shown  to  perfection  in  this  rare  old  product  of  the 
K'ang-hsi  period,  in  which  the  color  scheme  is  har- 
monious and  the  conventionalization  of  the  design 
characteristic  of  the  early  effort  to  copy  Persian 
styles. 

Upon  a  dark  golden  brown  field  are  flowers  in 
blue  outlined  with  yellow-brown,  and  brown  flowers 
outlined  with  blue.  The  stems  and  foliated  branches 
are  laid  in  light  golden  brown  and  show  strange 
twistings  and  turnings  incident  to  the  handling  of 
a  pattern  to  which  the  weaver  was  unaccustomed. 

\No.  4734  — 12.9x12.10] 


[5o] 

The    Tiffany  —mmmm^mmmmmmmmm  -mmmmmmmmmm 

Stadias  ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 

Collection 


VV  HILE  rugs  bearing  this  design  or  one  more 
or  less  like  it  appear  at  first  glance  to  be  similar, 
they  differ  very  greatly  and  only  close  examination 
reveals  the  difference  in  weave  and  dyes. 

In  some  the  knots  are  closely  packed  together, 
separated  only  by  one  or  two  tightly  twisted  threads, 
while  in  others  coarse  wool  is  tied  in  heavy,  loose 
knots  and  the  separating  threads  are  almost  as 
heavy  as  cord.  The  pattern  has  travelled  from  the 
southwest  to  the  northeast  of  China  and  has  been 
copied  by  weavers  elsewhere  in  the  Empire. 

The  yellow  dye  in  the  oldest  rugs  does  not  have 
the  greenish  cast  that  is  noticeable  in  later  products, 
and  the  blackish  brown  which  is  a  feature  in  rugs 
of  this  class  is  sometimes  of  a  natural  color  wool, 
but  more  often  a  corrosive  dye  has  been  used  which 
throws  parts  of  the  pattern  into  relief. 

In  this  rug  the  field  is  of  a  dark  blue,  and  the 
cloud  pattern  in  shades  of  apricot,  brown,  and  yellow 
is  regularly  laid  upon  it.  Stripes  of  blue  and 
yellow  separate  the  field  from  the  main  border, 
which  carries  a  running  Swastika  design,  an  apricot 
on  a  dark  blue  ground.        [No.  ^80 ^t  —  9  A  x^.ll] 


[51] 

■'■■"■"■■■■■^■"■■"'■"■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■^■■^■■^     Notable 
ANTIQUE    CHINESE    RUG  Oriental 


jl\.  brocade  design  consisting  of  foliate  scrolls 
in  light  green  upon  a  soft  peach  colored  ground  with 
large  peonies  in  cream  and  shades  of  blue  shows 
the  Kien-lung  style  of  conventionalization  of  an 
earlier  and  more  vigorous  rendering  of  the  much 
honored  flower. 

A  running  Swastika  pattern  in  dark  blue  on  a 
fawn  ground  in  the  outer  border  and  a  copper  pink 
key  design  on  a  dark  blue  inner  border  are  separated 
by  blue  and  white  stripes.  A  narrow  band  of  dark 
blackish  brown  surrounds  the  entire  rug. 

[No,  4805  — 8.11x5.2] 


Bugs 


RUGS  OF  TURKESTAN 


[55] 

ANTIQUE  AFGHAN  RUGS  ^'^'f^^ 


o 


F  quite  another  style  are  the  ancient 
carpets  of  Afghanistan,  favoring  as  they 
do  Persian  rather  than  Mongolian  design, 
though  the  deep  rich  reds  and  hlues  are 
the  same  as  those  found  in  the  Bokhara- 
Afghans.  The  hght  and  dark  portions  of 
the  octagonal  design  in  the  latter  appear 
in  many  antique  Afghans  as  isolated  motifs 
surrounding  a  rosette  or  star  form,  resem- 
bling on  a  large  scale  the  *'  grains  of  rice" 
design  in  Chinese  ornament.  The  develop- 
ment of  this  design  is  found  in  the  ancient 
carpets  of  Herat  where  the  crude  and  un- 
related patterns  of  the  northern  and  eastern 
parts  of  the  country  take  definite  shape 
and,  influenced  by  the  floral  designs  of 
Persia,  become  in  course  of  time  sugges- 
tive of  the  well-known  patterns  of  Herat. 


[66] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  Antique  Afghan  Rug 


Collection 


In  the  Antique  Afghan  Rug  No.  4747  (8.3  x  5.4) 
floral  representation  has  been  given  by  the  weaver 
to  the  Chinese  cloud  or  deity  design.  When  a 
Mongolian  Tartar  three  hundred  years  ago  wished 
to  represent  paradise,  he  threw  over  the  field  of  his 
rug  a  design  which  resembled  twisted  ribbons  and 
flowing  bands  connecting  small  discs  and  circles, 
which  represented  stars. 

This  design  has  been  copied  by  iveavers  throughout  the 
Orient,  and  the  result  has  been  in  many  instances,  as 
in  the  case  of  this  Antique  Afghan,  that  the  design 
has  lost  all  significance  and  become  merely  ornament 
or  pattern. 


'^'^m 


[57] 

■  Notable 

BOKHARA    RUGS  Oriental 


Rugs 


B 


BOKHARA  rugs  offer  the  best  oppor- 
tunity for  the  study  of  the  octagon  in  its 
appHcation  to  design  of  any  of  the  Turk- 
estan weavings.  At  the  intersection  of  the 
Hnes  that  cross  from  side  to  side  and  from 
top  to  bottom  of  the  field  are  the  light  and 
dark  divisions  of  the  well-known  pattern. 
Various  fanciful  renderings  of  the  octagon 
are  shown  in  the  true  Bokhara  border  which 
surrounds  the  entire  field  in  type  rugs,  even 
when  a  wide  extension  border  at  either  end 
carries  odd  conceits  in  the  way  of  design. 
The  wave  pattern  often  used  in  the  main 
border  of  rugs  carrying  the  real  Bokhara 
design  in  the  field  belongs  to  the  Yomud 
tribes  of  Turkomania,  who  dwell  near  the 
eastern  shores  of  the  Caspian  Sea. 


[58] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  A  Rag  of  the  Province  of  Bokhara 

Collection 

No.  4005  is  both  in  design  and  coloring  a  typical  Bo- 
khara rug.  In  its  weaving,  perfection  of  materials 
and  coloring,  a  rigid  adherence  is  shown  to  the  old 
styles  that  obtained  before  the  Russian  domination. 
Nos.  4521,  4588,  4519,  with  4005,  illustrate  the 
chief  points  of  interest  in  the  Bokhara  design,  and 
comparison  one  with  the  other  shows  the  slight 
differences  that  have  been  caused  by  the  intermingling 
of  the  people  with  tribes  to  the  east  and  west  of  the 
province.  Of  the  rugs  of  Bokhara,  a  well-known 
luriter  most  suggestively  says :  ' '  The  variations 
evolved  from  the  one  conventional  design  are  almost 
infinite,  and  the  many  shades  and  tones  of  red  which 
are  used  bring  to  mind  the  paintings  of  Vibert  and 
his  wonderful  palette  of  scarlets,  carmines,  crimsons, 
maroons,  and  vermilions." 


[h] 

Notable 

YOMUD'BOKHARA  RUGS  Oriental 


Rugs 


Y. 


OMUD-BOKHARA  rugs  are  those 
made  on  the  plains  of  Turkomania  by  the 
Tartar  tribes  *  *  whose  domain  extends  from 
the  northern  border  of  Afghanistan  in  a 
northwesterly  direction,  almost  eight  hun- 
dred miles,  with  a  width  of  three  hundred 
or  four  hundred  miles. "  The  tribal  pat- 
terns show  great  individuality  and  combine 
the  general  designs  of  Bokhara  and  Afghan 
rugs  with  many  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
rugs  of  the  Caucasus  district.  The  colors 
are  softer  and  deeper  in  tone  than  in  Bo- 
khara weavings  and  a  greater  license  has 
been  taken  with  the  octagon  and  diamond 
forms. 

Yomiid-Bokhara  Rugs 

Yomiid  design,  weaving,  and  color  are  rendered  with 
great  accuracy  in  Nos.  4009  (8Ax5.8)  and  2847 
(9.5  X  5.2). 

While  the  tribal  patterns  of  the  district  resemble  each 
other  they  differ  sufficiently  to  make  classification 
possible.  Yomud  designs  are  of  primitive  nature 
and  suggest  those  of  the  Navajo  Indians  which 
illustrate  natural  phenomena. 


[6o] 

Ihe  Ill/any 

Studios  BELUCHISTAN  RUGS 


Collection 


B 


ELUGHISTAN  rugs  — glossy,  lus- 
trous, rich  in  tone,  and  carrying  a  heavy  pile 
—  have  sufficient  distinction  to  be  classed 
as  unique  among  the  styles  of  central  Asia, 
and  they  hold  the  same  relation  to  the  soft 
and  pliable  carpets  and  rugs  of  Turkestan 
as  those  of  Bergama  hold  to  other  Asia 
Minor  weaves.  The  w^eb  which  extends  be- 
yond the  pile  at  either  end  of  Beluchistan 
rugs  is  adorned  with  designs  woven  in 
stripes.  These  designs  are  sometimes  of 
great  beauty. 


L6i] 


Notable 


Beluchistan  Riiqs  Oriental 

'^  Rags 


An  interesting  feature  of  the  iveavings  of  Beluchistan 
is  illustrated  in  Nos.  29^5  (6.8x5.3)  and  2952 
(5.6  X  3.9),  in  which  the  decoration  in  the  webbing 
is  elaborate  and  distinctive. 

The  color  values  are  extraordinary  in  Nos.  3573  (5.8 x 
3.2)  and  4/70  (4.8  x  3.10),  and  the  qucdity  of 
the  wool  in  all  these  rugs  is  unexcelled. 


[62] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios  THE  -HER ATI  DESIGN"  IN  THE  RUGS 
Collection       ^^  AFGHANISTAN  AND  PERSIA 


A 


DESIGN  so  universally  employed  as 
that  designated  as  the  "Herati  pattern" 
has  during  its  migration  and  adoption  by 
weavers  developed  many  interesting  altera- 
tions and  additions.  The  three  principal 
styles  in  the  evolution  of  the  design  are 
attributed  to  Herat,  Khorassan,  and  the 
Feraghan  district  of  central  Persia. 
Weavers  of  modern  rugs,  knowing  no  li- 
cense, have  intermingled  these  styles  so  that 
they  can  only  be  found  in  their  purity  in 
antique  rugs.  The  designs,  in  such,  sup- 
port and  verify  the  claims  made  for  them. 

Two  leaf  forms  predominate  in  the  fleld 
and  border  designs  of  rugs  which  carry 
the  so-called  Herati  pattern;  viz.,  the  long 
lance-leaf,  which  is  supposed  to  be  an  in- 
fluence from  the  East  and  which  appears 
on  either  side  of  a  lotus  rosette,  and  the 


[63] 

forked  leaf,  which  is  of  Turkish  origin  and  q^i^^i^i 
appears  in  the  borders  of  Herat  rugs.  Rags 

No  design  shows  more  plainly  the 
subtle  influences  from  without  than  the 
Herati ;  played  upon  by  shifting  breezes 
from  the  Mohammedan  west,  Buddhist 
east,  and  Turkoman  and  Mongolian  north, 
central  Asia  has  been  the  battlefield  of  the 
great  world  styles.  No  one  ever  fought  on 
that  field  either  as  conqueror  or  conquered 
who  did  not  take  away  from  the  struggle 
some  thought  to  graft  upon  his  own  tree 
of  knowledge  which  later  possibly  found 
expression  in  design. 

There  are  Antique  Herat  (Afghan)  rugs 
in  existence  in  which  two  archaic  dragon 
forms  encircling  a  pearl  make  a  design 
from  which  the  "lance-leaf  and  lotus 
rosette"  pattern  is  said  to  have  evolved, 
as  very  early  forms  of  the  leaf  resemble 
fishes  more  nearly  than  leaves.  This 
theory  is  conjectural  but  has  given  rise  to 
the  name  "  fish-pattern "  for  the  lance-leaf 
design. 


[64] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios         FERAGHAN  (HERATI  DESIGN) 

Collection 


JL  HE  typical  Feraghan  rendering  of  the  Herati 
pattern  is  illustrated  in  No.  liSio,  in  which  the 
dark  blue  field  and  green  main  border  carry  the 
Persian  variant  of  the  Herati  design  which  is  popu- 
larly known  as  the  "fish  pattern,"  and  which  is 
copied  with  more  or  less  accuracy  all  through 
central  Persia.  [No.  4310  — d5.W  x  6  JO] 


[65]       

■— — — «— ^  — — i—  JSlotahle 

ANTIQUE  RUG  OF  HERAT  Or^'^^^^ 

Rugs 

xVN  illustration  of  the  peculiar  characteristics  that 
render  the  weavings  of  Herat  distinctive  and  unlike 
those  of  other  localities  where  the  weavers  were 
borrowers  of  the  design.  The  coloring  is  soft  and 
low  in  tone,  even  though  the  design  is  worked  in 
red,  green,  blue,  and  yellow  upon  a  rich  deep  blue 
field. 

The  lance-leaf,  as  in  all  Herat  rugs,  is  very 
sharply  indented.  The  ground  of  the  main  border 
is  generally  red.  A  blush  over  the  entire  fabric,  not 
unlike  the  bloom  of  a  peach,  produces  a  subdued 
and  harmonious  effect.  [No.  4299 — 16  x6.6] 

KHORASSAN  RUG   {HERATI   DESIGN) 

W  ITH  evident  intent  to  copy  the  rugs  of  Herat 
the  weaver  of  this  fabric  has  spread  the  design  on 
a  dark  blue  field,  and  has  used  red  for  the  ground 
of  the  main  border.  The  pattern  itself  is  more 
vigorously  used  than  in  most  old  Afghan  rugs  which 
this  copies.  The  high  lights  are  emphasized  and 
the  stems  in  the  border  design  are  pronounced  and 
have  assumed  angular  regularity  not  often  observ- 
able in  rugs  made  to  the  east  of  the  Khorassan 
district.  [No.  484  —  11.4x5.8] 


[66] 

The  Tiffany    "^m^^^^i"'^^^^  -"^ 

^^,^«f^^'«^  KURDISH  RUG 


Collection 


u 


PON  a  rich  blue  ground  the  Mina  Khani  design 
is  accurately  wrought  and  the  five-petalled  Henna 
blossoms  are  symmetrically  placed  in  their  customary 
relation  to  the  dark  red,  blue,  and  golden  yellow 
floral  rosette  forms  distributed  over  the  field. 

Three  rather  narrow  borders  surround  the  field, 
the  middle  one  of  which  is  yellow.  The  inner  and 
outer  borders  carry  tawny  colors  and  small  patterns. 

[No.  3033  —  16.5x8] 


[67] 

■■■■■"■■■■■^■■^■■^■'■■'■■"■■■■■^■^■■■■^"■'■^■'■■■■■"^  Notable 

A   GROUP  OF  FERAGHAN  RUGS       Oriental 


In  these  rugs  grouped  together  for  comparison  are 
several  distinctive  and  interesting  variations  of  the 
Feraghan  Herali  pattern. 

No.  1980  (87  X  9).  The  field  is  dark  blue  with 
the  design  so  disposed  upon  it  as  to  form  a  series  of 
indistinct  octagons.  The  medallion  in  the  centre  of 
the  rug  has  a  white  ground  and  the  main  border  is 
of  Feraghan  green.  In  this  fabric  of  unusual  length 
the  lance-leaf,  rosette,  and  diamond  grille  are  laid 
in  clear  strong  colors  upon  the  dark  blue  ground. 


IN  No.  2o55  (23.6  x  8.  i)  is  found  the  same  general 
pattern,  but  an  unusual  form  of  the  diamond  grille. 
The  field  is  of  dark  blue.  Occasionally  the  design 
has  been  intentionally  meddled  with,  that  its  lack 
of  perfection  might  avert  the  evil  eye.  This  and 
other  deviations  from  stiff  formalism  add  the  human 
interest  which  is  compelling  even  when  so  stereo- 
typed a  design  as  the  Herati  is  employed  by  the 
weaver. 


Rugs 


[68] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios       A  Group  of  Feraghan  Rugs  —  continued 
Collection  

In  No.  /i3io  (i5.io  X  6.10)  the  design  has  been 
interpreted  by  a  weaver  who  has  varied  it  sufficiently 
to  give  it  great  individuahty.  The  field  is  blue  and 
the  main  border  green. 

Very  little  prominence  is  given  in  No.  198^ 
(16.7  X  8.3)  to  the  details  of  the  design.  The  field 
is  dark  red,  and  the  widest  of  the  borders  is  green 
with  three  narrow  stripes  on  either  side. 


FERAGHAN  {IRAN  HERATI) 

In  this  rug  an  old  Iran  rendering  of  the  Herati 
design  forces  the  lance-leaves  and  rosettes  surround- 
ing each  diamond  grille  into  circular  formation, 
•which  give  the  appearance  of  a  series  of  wreaths 
upon  the  dark  blue  field.  In  the  border  the  de- 
sign assumes  a  disconnected  and  strictly  decorative 
character,  though  it  is  laid  upon  a  ground  of  typical 
Feraghan  green. 

There  are  many  designs  that  have  been  and  are 
still  used  by  the  rug  weavers  of  Persia  which  have 
about  them  so  distinctive  and  national  a  character 
that  they  may  be  designated  as  "  Iranian." 


[69] 

Notable 
Feraghan  [Iran  Herati)  —  continued  Oriental 


Rugs 


These  do  not  claim  absolute  Persian  ancestry 
nor  do  thej  necessarily  show  the  influence  of  the 
early  beliefs  of  the  Ancient  Empire,  though  in  some 
instances  this  is  the  case.  They  are  those  however 
in  which  the  mingling  of  ideas  from  without  has 
marked  and  reacted  upon  native  thought  and  art  by 
"imperceptible  infiltration"  in  such  a  way  as  to 
create  and  localize  new  expressions. 

These  have  been  perpetuated  by  native  tribes 
and  to  them  is  applied  the  much  abused  but  most 
descriptive  word  "Iran."  Warp  of  cotton  and  a 
distinctive  style  of  weaving  give  a  different  appear- 
ance to  Iran  rugs  from  those  woven  by  the  Kurds 
in  different  parts  of  the  Empire,  who  have  borrowed 
ancient  Iran  designs  and  copied  them  in  their  heavy 
wool  fabrics.  [No.  2258—10.2  x  5] 

FERAGHAN 

l\.  FERAGHAN  rug  with  border  of  soft  green 
upon  which  the  design  is  laid  in  blue,  green,  red, 
and  violet.  [A^o.  ^674  —  20.2  x  17.8] 

FERAGHAN  {GULI  HINNAI) 

Upon  a  dark  blue  field,  the  flowers  of  the  Henna 
are  confined  in  diamond  shapes  made  by  the  formal 
placing  of  rosettes,  stems,  and  leaves.  The  ground 
of  the  main  border  is  red.    \No.  2056  —  12.9x6.4] 


[7o] 

The  Tiffany     ""*"*■"  mmmtm^mmmmmm 

Studios      KURDISH  RUG  OF  CENTRAL  ASIA 


Collection 


21-N  old  Iran  design  has  been  used  by  the  weaver 
of  this  rug,  though  the  product  is  unhke  the  rugs  of 
western  Kurdistan,  from  which  the  pattern  has  been 
borrowed. 

The  Henna  flowers  are  not  as  formally  set  upon 
the  rich  dark  blue  field  as  in  the  Mina  Khani  design, 
nor  are  the  large  rosette  forms  absolute  copies  of 
those  in  the  well-known  pattern. 

The  borders  are  of  Kirman  ancestry  and  the  rug 
was  most  likely  woven  in  central  Persia. 

[No.2886  —  1^.7  x6.lO] 


_     [70 

Notable 
KURDISTAN  Oriental 


1  HE  borrowing  and  handling  of  well-known  and 
oft-used  devices  bj  the  weavers  of  Kurdistan  has 
produced  in  this  exceptional  rug  a  ' '  flower-strewn 
field "  elTect  that  eliminates  the  formality  of  set 
design  and  distributes  the  pattern  in  such  a  way 
as  to  give  perfect  balance  and  symmetry  in  spite  of 
the  exaggerated  use  of  the  long  lance-leaves  which 
extend  laterally  from  the  upper  portion  of  the 
diamond  grilles  throughout  the  field.  The  colors 
used  are  red,  green,  dull  yellow,  cream,  and  blue, 
upon  a  red  ground.  Two  borders  of  rich  deep 
golden  yellow  confine  the  main  border  and  carry 
delicate  tracery  in  green  and  red.  The  design  in 
the  broad  border  consists  of  stiff  leaf  forms  which 
cross  the  border  diagonally  between  rosettes  which 
are  surrounded  by  little  five-petal  flowers.  These 
tiny  flowers  dot  the  entire  field  of  the  rug. 

[No.W00  —  20xW.6] 


Rugs 


The  Tiffany     '^^"■■■■■■'■■■'■■■"^'■■''^  -^liUBiM^MM— i«««»i«» 

Studios  ISPAHAN  RUG  OF  THE  XVI  CENTURY 

Collection  ^MaMMMM^^MMM^MMMBll^iHMH^^MMM^BHHMI^MMB 

X^  lELD  of  jade  color  with  broad  border  of  Ispahan 
pink.  Dark  blue,  gold,  and  rose,  with  a  rich  brown, 
are  used  in  the  design.  Use  has  been  made  in  the 
pattern  of  the  cloud  band,  the  long  lance-leaf,  and 
the  diamond  grille,  but  the  different  motifs  are 
unrelated  and  do  not  furnish  a  consistent  scheme. 
The  lateral  rendering  of  the  long  leaf  has  been 
copied  bj  Kurdistan  weavers,  and  is  often  found 
in  their  fabrics.  [No.  4303—10.8  x  11] 


[73] 

Notable 
POLONAISE    RUG  Oriental 


Rugs 


This  rag  was  presumably  made  in  Persia  for  some 
Polish  prince.  Many  of  the  materials  such  as  gold 
thread  and  silk  in  skeins  which  were  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  the  gorgeous  fabrics  of  the  sixteenth 
and  seventeenth  centuries  were  imported  from  China 
into  India,  Persia,  and  Europe.  Great  differences 
exist  in  the  quality  of  materials  in  different  places, 
and  examination  and  comparison  one  with  the  other 
aids  the  analyst  in  placing  fabrics. 

It  has  been  proved  by  documentary  evidence  that  rugs 
were  made  in  Persia  for  Polish  princes  just  as  they 
were  for  Portuguese,  Spanish,  Italian,  and  other 
European  noble  families.  It  has  also  been  proved 
by  similar  evidences  that  fabrics  of  marvellous  beauty 
were  carried  from  China,  India,  and  Persia  to 
Russia  and  later  to  Poland,  and  sold  there,  and 
that  gifts  were  sent  by  ambassadors  from  Oriental 
to  Occidental  courts. 

Artisan  weavers  are  known  to  have  reproduced  in  Poland 
as  well  as  in  Spain  and  Portugal  the  textiles  of  the 
East.  Slight  technical  differences  in  the  weavings  of 
different  places  furnish  at  the  present  time  the  most 
convincing  proofs  for  the  establishing  of  opinions. 

The  shades  of  pink  found  in  this  rug  are  known  as 
salmon  pink  and  shell  pink.  These  differ  somewhat 
from  the  rose  pink  and  coral  pink  sometimes  used. 


[74] 

The  Tiffany 

Studios                   Polonaise  Riiq  —  continued 
Collection 

The  Jield  of  salmon  pink  carries  a  TiirkisJi  design  in 
which  a  long  forked  leaf  of  deep  ultramarine  blue 
is  conventionally  arranged.  Vivid  green  and  canary 
yellow  lines  connect  the  leaf  forms,  and  these  are 
outlined  with  contrasting  and  delicate  colors. 

The  border  is  of  emerald  green  and  the  long  leaves  are 
of  light  shell  pink  outlined  with  deep  blue. 

The  large  palmettes  are  built  up  on  the  pomegranate, 
whirl  petals  in  shades  of  shell  pink,  cream,  and 
azure  surrounding  the  fruit,  the  centre  of  which 
deepens  into  a  salmon  color. 

The  warp  of  the  rug  is  of  cotton  and  the  woof  of  silk ; 
occasionally  a  Une  of  red  silk  is  introduced  among  the 
ivoof  threads .  The  dark  brown  in  various  parts  of 
the  rugs  shows  corrosion,  by  nature  of  the  dye  used. 

The  reciprocal  design  in  the  narrow  inner  border  stripe 
is  interesting  and  significant. 

Eighteenth  century  Asia  Minor  copies  of  Polonaise  rugs 
may  be  readily  distinguished  from  antique  specimens. 


L^ 


l 


|*»-*r'> 


[75]  

"'^""'"^"""""'■"'^"^"^■■'^■'■■"■"'^■^■■''■■^"■■■'■^■^  Notable 

RUG  OF  SOUTHERN  PERSIA  Oriental 


L  HIS  rare  old  product  of  southern  Persia  carries 
one  of  the  designs  which  long  ago  were  adopted  by 
the  weavers  of  Kirman,  and  which  has  been  copied 
through  the  centuries  not  only  in  Kirman  itself  but 
in  Ispahan  and  other  parts  of  central  Persia.  An 
interesting  distribution  of  plant  and  tree  forms  ex- 
tends over  the  light  blue  field.  The  Gulai-hinna, 
narcissus,  rose,  tulip,  hyacinth,  and  other  garden 
flowers,  with  the  lilies  of  the  field,  are  shown  in  the 
design.  An  interesting  feature,  which  adds  human 
interest  and  great  charm  to  this  relic  of  the  past,  is 
that  the  design  within  three  feet  of  the  top  changes 
its  character  and  becomes  formal  and  somewhat 
conventional.  This  is  only  apparent  to  a  close 
observer,  but  shows  very  plainly  that  the  "memory 
pattern"  was  interpreted  by  more  than  one  weaver. 
A  magnolia  design  in  tans  and  blues  gracefully 
fills  the  Kirman  pink  border,  which  is  separated  from 
the  field  by  a  narrow  stripe  bearing  a  reciprocal  trefoil 
design  in  green  and  tan.      \No.  ^650  — 10.2  x  4.7] 


Rugs 


[76] 
The  Tiffany  mmmmmim^r 

Studios  TWO  MOSUL  RUGS 

Collection 


jTJl  MOSUL  rug  of  rare  coloring,  only  obtainable 
in  fabrics  made  hy  weavers  who  dye  their  own 
wools,  and  who  often  on  this  account  produce 
different  shades  and  tones  of  color  in  the  same  rug. 
This  is  owing  to  the  necessity  of  replenishing  the 
wools  during  the  process  of  fabrication.  There  is 
not  a  single  evidence  of  commercialism  about  the 
fabric,  which  was  without  doubt  made  in  the  region 
of  the  great  rivers,  the  Tigris  and  the  Euphrates, 
for  native  use. 

Tribal  and  significant  borders  in  soft  shades  of 
canary,  brown,  cream,  and  red  surround  the  field 
of  rare  peach  color,  over  which  spreads  an  exquisite 
bloom  incident  to  the  age  of  the  fabric. 

At  one  end  of  the  main  border  are  to  be  found 
th«  little  Mosul  dogs  Avhich  are  usually  found  in 
rugs  of  this  type.  The  design  in  the  broad  border 
stripe  is  based  on  a  primitive  tree  pattern. 

[No.  ^727  — 6.9x3.7] 


MOSUL  KURD 


KURDISH   weaving   of  the   Mosul   district  in 


A 

which  the  colors  employed  by  certain  tribes  — 
canary  yellow ,  cream ,  brown ,  and  soft  red  —  are 
harmoniously  combined  in  a  series  of  narrow  tribal 
borders.       The    field    is    of   light    mulberry   color, 


[77] 

shading   throughout   its   entire   length   into   deeper  Notable 

1    .•    ,        <•   .1  1  Oriental 

tones  and   tints  ol   tiic   same  color. 


A  variant  of  the  "  pear  "  pattern  worked  in  the 
same  deKcate  shades  used  in  the  borders  is  laid  in 
stripes  across  the  field  at  irregular  intervals. 


Rugs 


DJUSHAGHAN 


A 


PALACE  throne-room  rug  of  rare  interest  and 
importance,  which  was  without  doubt  made  in  the 
sixteenth  century  on  the  loom  of  a  master  weaver 
in  central  Persia.  There  are  several  conclusive 
proofs  in  the  fabric  itself  to  warrant  this  assertion. 

In  color,  quality,  and  workmanship  this  rug  is 
utterly  unlike  copies  of  it  made  in  other  places. 
So  popular  was  the  refined  and  well-balanced  design 
used  by  the  Djushaghan  weavers  that  it  provided 
many  motives  for  designers  ;  and  rugs  more  or  less 
like  this  carpet  were  made  during  the  seventeenth 
century  in  various  places. 

The  leaf  form  which  is  used  throughout  the 
design  is  of  Turkish  origin  and  formed  part  of  the 
ornamentation  of  the  Koran  of  an  early  Mohammedan 
conqueror  who,  travelling  eastward  from  Damascus, 
seems  to  have  stamped  his  personality  on  many  of 
the  fabrics  of  Persia  and  India. 

Few  Djushaghan  rugs  to  be  found  to-day  have 
the  tribal  pattern  in  the  border  so  correctly  rendered 
as  in  this  matchless  specimen  of  sixteenth  century 
weaving.  [No.  4581—23.9  x  i2.8\ 


CAUCASIAN  AND  TRANS- 
CAUCASIAN  RUGS 


CAUCASIAN   AND   TRANS- 
CAUCASIAN   RUGS 

CABISTAN 

i\N  all-over  golden-yellow  effect  is  produced  in 
this  prayer  rug  which  breaks  into  shades  of  topaz, 
hay  color,  and  brown.  Some  of  the  designs  were 
wrought  in  fugitive  Baku  pink,  which  has  faded  to 
a  soft  tan.  Broken  star  forms  over  the  field  and 
the  sawtooth  pattern  in  outer  and  inner  border 
stripes  are  all  worked  in  shades  of  brown  and 
yellow.  [No.  ^396  —  5.2  x3.3] 


SHIRVAN _^^ 

/VN  unusually  fine  Shirvan  rug  with  cream-white 
ground.  In  each  of  the  diamond  forms  made  by 
the  lattice  which  covers  the  field  are  various  plant 
designs  worked  in  shades  of  sapphire,  ruby,  and 
topaz.  The  three  borders,  in  which  are  jewel  colors 
of  surpassing  brilliancy,  are  separated  by  narrow 
barber-pole  stripes .  [No .  4416  —  4.6  x  3.6] 


[82] 

The  Tiffany  .   .  — 

Studios  DAGHESTAN  BAKU  RUG 


Collection 


1  HE  turquoise  blue  field  of  this  rug  has  so  mel- 
lowed and  softened  as  to  produce  the  most  perfect 
shade.  From  the  sides  of  the  rug  throughout  its 
length  large  pyramidal  forms  penetrate  the  field. 
These  with  three  octagonal  medallions  in  dark 
brown  and  Baku  pink  carry  numberless  designs 
of  nomadic  nature,  — flat  and  sectional  flower  forms, 
birds,  beasts,  etc. 

The  main  border  carries  a  Daghestan  tribal 
design  in  soft  tan,  blue,  and  pink,  and  plain  bands 
of  subdued  colors  separate  the  broad  from  the 
narrow  stripes.  [No.  4354  —  H.8x  5] 


[83] 

■■■"'■"^■■■■■'■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■^  Notable 

BAKU  Oriental 


Rugs 


vJVER  the  field  of  dark  corroded  brown  are  large 
loose  heavy  "pear"  forms  which  are  wrought  in 
shades  of  tan,  blue,  and  canary. 

There  is  a  strong  Gabistan  feeling  in  the  broad 
border  which  carries  diagonal  stripes  in  blue,  tan, 
canary,  and  hay  color. 

The  field  in  the  medallions  and  corners  is  of  soft 
turquoise  blue.  [No.  4355  —  11.10  x  5] 


The  Tiffany    -'^■""■'"^^■^■■^' 

Stadios  "-  Qj^J^U 


w^UPERB  dark  blue  field  with  central  medallion 
in  light  blue  powdered  with  light  and  dark  tan 
flower  forms.  In  the  corners,  which  are  separated 
from  the  field  bj  serrated  lines  of  an  unusual  shade 
of  cherry  red,  are  profile  pinks  in  shades  of  tan. 
Diagonal  stripes  of  this  cherry  red  and  cream  color 
ornament  one  of  the  three  narrow  borders. 

Over  the  entire  field  between  the  central  me- 
dallion and  corners  are  interesting?  forms  resembling 
the  Baku  "  pear  "  design.  Close  examination,  how- 
ever, reveals  the  composite  nature  of  the  form, 
which  seems  to  grow  out  of  a  small  jardiniere  vase. 

Occasionally  distorted  bird  forms  appear  on 
either  side  of  a  tree  or  plant  which,  though  poorly 
executed,  serve  as  a  key  to  the  design,  which  is  not 
one  native  to  the  province  but  one  which  the  weaver 
has  copied  without  comprehension  of  it.  Other 
points  may  be  noted  which  are  somewhat  at  variance 
from  the  typical  Baku  designs. 


[85] 

Notable 
KAZAK  Oriental 

^^^^^^  Rugs 


jr\N  unusually  fine  Antique  Kazak  rug  with  deep 
red  field  upon  which  are  panels  of  blue  and  red 
confined  within  a  meandering  outline  border  which 
carries  a  zigzag  water  pattern  on  a  white  ground. 
A  few  odd  and  unrelated  motifs  are  scattered  upon 
the  field  outside  the  panels,  and  they  with  the  main 
border  design,  which  is  a  variant  of  the  Shirvan  tree 
pattern,  are  wrought  in  shades  of  blue,  yellow,  and 
green.  [No.  ^5^9  — 5  x  3.5] 


[86] 
The  Tiffany 

Studios  CABISTAN 


Collection 


i\.  HEAVY  lustrous  fabric  of  the  Kuba  district 
showing  an  interesting  combination  of  Shirvan  and 
Daghestan  peculiarities  which  make  a  composite 
design  and  pleasing  effect.  The  strong  light  blue 
field  is  covered  with  a  lattice  in  yellow  outlined 
with  red.  Blue  and  red  alternate  forms  are  laid  on 
a  white  ground  in  the  main  border.  An  effect  of 
light  blue  is  produced  by  the  rug  in  its  entirety. 

[No.  U03  — 6.10x2.11] 


[87] 


Notable 
CABISTAN  Oriental 


Rugs 


J_/EEP  blue  field  spread  with  large  loose  ' '  pear  " 
forms  in  cream,  soft  yellow,  blue,  and  red.  Upon 
a  serrated  oblong  panel  in  the  centre  a  light  lattice 
carries  yellow  blossoms.  The  main  border  is 
scarcely  wider  than  the  narrower  stripes  that  bound 
it.  The  design  is  similar  to  one  of  two  styles  found 
in  Antique  Karabagh  rugs  and  is  said  to  have 
originally  belonged  to  the  weavers  of  southern 
Persia.  The  Karabagh  rendering  of  one  of  the 
"Persian  lark"  designs  is  shown  in  the  rug  illus- 
tration facing  page  4o  in  the  first  volume  of  the 
"  Tiffany  Collection  of  Notable  Antique  Rugs." 

[No.  ^297  —  12x5] 


[88] 


The  Tiffany 

Studios  KAZAK 

Collection      ^ 

/\.N  old  style  typical  Kazak  rug  made  by  the 
Cossacks  for  their  own  use  in  the  mountainous 
region  they  inhabit.  The  fabric  is  heavy  and  the 
materials  are  of  fine  quality.  The  colors  —  red, 
blue,  cream  color,  and  yellow  —  have  softened  with 
age,  and  the  brown  dye  used  has  corroded  the  wool, 
throwing  parts  of  the  pattern  into  relief. 

[No.  4670  —  6.2x^.8] 


[89] 

■''■■■''''■■■'■■■■■''■'■■■■■■■■■■'■'■■■'■'■'^^  Notable 

ANTIQUE   KULAH  Oriental 

Rugs 

L  HE  highly  ornate  design  in  this  antique  rug  has 
both  Ghiordes  and  Kulah  features.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  profile  flower  forms  in  the  wide  border 
the  motifs  in  the  design  are  formal  rather  than 
realistic.  The  field  is  surrounded  by  the  typical 
curl  border,  a  Kulah  feature  showing  Rhodian  in- 
fluence, which  strongly  resembles  a  well-known 
design  in  Chinese  rugs. 

The  field  is  of  hay  color  and  the  decorations 
upon  it  and  the  space  above  it  are  of  light  blue. 
The  ground  of  the  main  border  is  dark  blue,  and 
the  design  is  in  shades  of  green,  blue,  red,  ecru, 
and  tan  color.  [No.  4647 —  5.11  x  ^.3] 


[go] 

The  Tiffany 

sladios  ASIA  MINOR  PRAYER  RUG 


Collection 


IVJLANY  interesting  features  about  this  rug  cause 
it  to  be  of  great  importance.  Attention  is  arrested 
in  the  first  place  by  the  web  itself,  which  in  rugs 
bearing  this  general  style  of  decoration  is  unusual. 
A  fine  quality  of  red  wool  is  used  for  the  woof 
threads,  which  shows  in  the  main  border  where 
the  green  knots  have  worn  away  sufficiently  to 
reveal  it.  Antique  Asia  Minor  rugs  which  show 
this  peculiarity  are  very  rare,  and  they  have  a  soft- 
ness and  pliability  about  them  which  places  them 
in  a  class  by  themselves. 

The  color  of  the  field  is  of  a  rich  strong  red, 
and  the  high  prayer  niche  pierces  a  dark  blue  space 
to  which  green  and  tan-colored  branches  carry 
stiff  red  flowers.  Yellow,  blue,  and  red  appear  in 
the  borders.  [No.  ^652  —  5x3.10] 


^^^^^^^^^^^m^^^^^^^^^^^M^mim 


[91] 

■^'■"■"■■■'■■■■■■'■^■■■'■■*'~'  Notable 
KULAH  Oriental 


Rugs 


JL  HERE  is  a  great  formality  and  precision  in  the 
design  of  this  rug.  The  field  is  red,  broken  by 
long  panels  which  extend  from  the  space  above 
the  prayer  niche,  the  ground  color  in  both  being 
azure  blue.  The  main  border  carries  a  very  formal 
ornamentation  consisting  of  conventionally  arranged 
leaves  and  flowers  in  tan  and  light  blue,  with  occa- 
sional touches  of  blood  red  upon  a  rich  dark  blue 
ground.  [No.  4658  —  5Jlx^.l] 


[9^] 

The  Tiffany  "^""i""""*' 

Studios  GHIORDES  PRAYER  RUG 


Collection 


L  HE  field  of  this  old  Ghiordes  rug  is  of  jade  green 
edged  with  small  flower  forms  in  cream,  canary 
color,  and  brown. 

The  high  prayer  niche  penetrates  the  light  blue 
space  in  which  is  a  most  symmetrical  and  formal 
arrangement  of  a  leaf  worked  in  light  green,  brown, 
and  red.  The  outer  and  inner  border  stripes  carry 
the  Ghiordes  "Tarantula"  design,  and  in  the  main 
border  the  design  is  squared  off"  in  tile  fashion,  a 
stiff  leaf  in  light  blue  filling  one-half  the  square  and 
two  red  blossoms  with  yellow  centres  the  other  half. 
The  stems  are  wrought  in  dark  brown. 

[No.  465^  — 5.7x4.5] 


T 


[93] 

"■"■■■■■■■■■■■■■'■■■■■■■■■"■'■'■■'■■■'■'■■■■'■■■■■''"^^  Notable 

KULAH  Oriental 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  Rugs 

HE  coloring  in  this  rug  has  a  gem-Hke  brilKancj 


combined  with  great  refinement.  The  field  is  of 
deep  rich  blue,  and  the  flower  forms  that  rest  upon 
it  are  of  soft  canary  and  azure. 

Seven  borders  alternately  of  tan  and  blue  sur- 
round the  field  and  carry  the  "fleck"  design 
commonly  found  in  borders  of  this  style. 

Occasional  touches  of  blood  red  are  also  dis- 
tinctive features  of  these  Kulah  fabrics. 

[No.  ^6^9  —  6.3x4.1] 


14  DAY  USE 

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